"We're not doing it by choice," said Miami Police spokesman Jorge Pino.

About 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Special Agent Jacques Island, 52, was driving his green Mazda CV around the intersection of Southwest Eighth Street and 44th Court when he allegedly approached a Miami policewoman posing as a prostitute.

Farmer gave the take-down signal, and other officers moved in. The officers confiscated Island's Glock handgun and took him to the precinct, where he revealed he was a 19-year veteran of the FBI.

Special Agent Hector Pesquera, who is in charge of the FBI Miami Field Office, said in a prepared statement that he is "saddened whenever an FBI employee is associated with even the appearance of impropriety." Pesquera said an internal investigation had been launched.

Island was the third unlikely suspect Miami police have busted in prostitution stings in the past month.

On June 24, Miami Police Maj. Juan Garcia, a one-time finalist for the chief's job, allegedly offered a female officer money for sex and left the scene when other officers went after him. Garcia once supervised undercover prostitution stings.

On July 5, the Rev. Patrick H. O'Neill approached Officer Albert Guerra on Biscayne Boulevard and allegedly offered him $100 for sex and affection. O'Neill is a former president of St. Thomas University and the executive director for the Jubilee 2000 Program, an effort to bring stray Catholics back to the church.

Miami Police Det. Delrish Moss said after 15 years with the force, he is not surprised at the parade of distinguished arrestees.

"Nothing has changed," Moss said. "It's just a little bit more notable now."